Truck wheel



June 5, 1923.

l,457,683 R. A. wHlT'nNGHAM TRUCK WHEEL Original Filed Dec. 6. 1920 Patented June 5, 1923.

RICHARD A. WHITTINGHAM, or NEWARK, DELAWARE, AssrGNon 'roiArL AsAx'LE "COMPANY, OF WILMINGTQN, DELAXVARE, ACORPORATION OF DELAWARE: w

vTRUCK WHEEL.

Application filed December AG, 1920, Serial No. 428,557. Renewed January-27, 1923.

To all 107mm it mag] concern: 4

Be it known that I, RICHARD A. vWHIT- TINGHAM, a citizen of the United States, residing at Newark, in the county of New 5 Castle and State of Delaware, have invented certain new' and. useful Improvements inTruek lVheels, of which the' following is a specification. i

This invention relates to traction wheels for motor driven Vehicles, more particularly trucks. The wheel, 'as illustrated in the accompanying drawings, is used in connection with a driv-ing gear, mounted upon a spindle projecting from an aXle casing, the gear being enclosed in an oil retaining housing and havingI a hub which eXtends outwardly through the housing. The gear hub is spaced from the spindle by anti-friction bearings and the inner end of the hub is open and communicates with vthe interior of the oil-retaining housing. The wheel is cast in one piece, including a wheel hub which fits closely on to the gear hub and has a cap integral with the wheel hub which extends over the outer ends of the wheel spindle and gear' hub. This cap forms part of the oil retaining housing, 'and by making the cap integral with the wheel hub no leakage of oil can occur between these parts. As the traction wheels are heavy and sometimes diflicult to remove from the gear hubs, I provide |a threaded opening in the cap, in line with the aXis of the spindle, in order that a threaded rod may be screwed into said opening and against said spindle to force the wheel ofi' of the gear hub. .This opening, however, except when the wheel is to be -removed, is closed by a suitable plug threaded into said opening.

The accompanying. drawing, which illustrates the invention, is a central, vertical section through a traction wheel, driving gears therefor, and one end of an axle ,casing Referring to the drawing, 1 indicates the rear axle casing of a motor truck, having a wheel spindle 2, projecting from its end. Upon this spindle is mounted' a gear hub 3,

having roller bearings 4, at its inner end,

receive, it is diflicult to maintain an 011- and ball bearings 5 at its outer end. This hub has an integral fiange 3a, which carries an internal gear 6, and the latter meshes with a pinion 7, upon a drive shaft 8, which extends through the axle casing and. is driven. from the difierential gearing in the usual way.` The internalgear'is enclosedflin an oil-'retaininghousing which includes a rear` seal 9. An oil chamber 10, enclosing thel gear and' the pinion, is formed by the parts Just described, and a suitable depth of oil is o kept in this Chamber. Oil may be introducedV into the Chamber through an opening in the plate 9, which is normally closed by a plug 11. The gear hub is spac'ed from the wheel spindle by the bearings 4: and 5, and the inner' end of the'hub is open'and in communication with the interior of the oil Chamber 10, so that oil, which is carried around' and distributed by the gears, may freely enter the interior of the gear hub and lubricate its bearings. The gear hub projects outwardly through the oil retaining housing, past the oil seal,`as shown, and the wheel 12 is secured to' this extension of the gear hub. As shown, the wheel is cast in one piece, including the rim 12a, web 12', hub 12c, and hub cap 12a. The hub 12c fits closely on to the extended portion of the gear hub, and the wheel is held in place by Abolts 13, which extend through the cap and into the end of the gear hub. The cap extends over the open o-uter end of the gear hub and `over the end 'of the wheel spindle and forms .an oil-tight closure for the end of theigear hub. The central part Vof the cap is provided with a threaded opening 14, which is normally closed by a threaded plug 15. This opening is in line with the axis of the wheel spindle 2, 'and the purpose of providing this opening is to facilitate the removal of the wheel, when desired, by inserting a threaded rod in the opening 14, and turning this rod so that it will bear against the spindle 2 and force the wheel from the gear hub, the lbolts 13, of course, being firstremoved.

msl

With the rough usage which motor trucks accolnp-anying drawing, i-t is desirable to keep the outer end of the bearina' entiifely Sealed, and 'this is aocomplished inthe present invention bv making the cap inteo'rfli With the wheelhub, Whei'eby these parts are always removed and'i'eplaced as a` unit and never taken apart.

What I claim is:

` 1. The combination With an axie casing, a Wheel spindle pr-ojecting therefrom, ay gear journaled' upon the spindle and having an outwardiy extended hub, and ay housino' enclosing 'said gear, said gear hub projeoting through the housing' and the interior of said hou'sing being in communication with the bearings of said hub, of a vehicle Wheel having 'a hub fitting on to the gear hub and having a cap, integral With the Wheel hub,

extending over the end of the gear hub and spindle.

2. The combination with an axle casing, a Wheel spind'le projecting` therefrom, a .gear journaled upon the spindle and having an outwardly extended hub, and a. housing enclosing said gear, said gear hub projecting through the housing and the interior of said housing' being in communication With the bearngs of said hub, of a vehicle Wheel having a. hub fi'tting on to the gear hub and having a cap, integrai With the Wheel hub, extending` over the end' of the gear hub and spndie, said capv having a thi'eaded opening in line with the spindle, and a. Dlug for closing said opening.

In test-imony Whei'eof I affix my signature.

RICHARD A. VHITTINGHAM. 

